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Not at all. I did not say that. But it is socialist when the government sets the wage increases and it is not driven my market forces, such as actual demand for labor. Are you saying that France does not have a socialist government? Being socialist is not an insult.

France is socialist when people vote for them, France is not socialist all the time, President Sarkozy wasn't socialist

According to the World Bank, the GDP per capita for France in US$ is $42,379. Germany is $44,021. The USA is $48,112. They tell us in the USA that we have the most productive workforce in the world, but the Nationwide report shows the USA at #13. The small country of Liechtenstein ($134,915 ) appears to be way ahead of the rest of the world regardless of whose data you use. I am not even sure what Liechtenstein produces, but it is probably some type of luxury goods.

Statistics can be viewed and manipulated in multiple ways. A real, relevant number is sometimes hard to find.

You just made my point Top, a worker perform well when they work less , have stable work hours and for better wages. USA is $48,112 not because they work harder, but they work 40 hours per week with 15 days of vacations per year, we are working 35 hours per week, and 45 days of vacations paid per year. Once you put all the same number and then compare, I am pretty sure that you make less. Now don't make me wrong, a few decades ago the US workers were much more well paid than today. France minimum wage is $1852, US minimum wage is $1256.

It is just political and I don't believe in the bs of market, because the switch of labor pool was engineered by the elite and the powerful people. Why don't you see engineers from China, India here? What don't you see Chinese and Indian banks here in US, why don't you see foreign oil companies here in US? The globalization is limited to the labor, because it doesn't compete with the elite and powerful people interests.

They are just forgotten and betrayed a part of their own people for money.

France is socialist when people vote for them, France is not socialist all the time, President Sarkozy wasn't socialist

See what I mean about being able to interpret things in different ways. You are right, but Sarkozy is gone, and François Hollande is the current leader and he is about as Socialist as any French leader has ever been.

A country may sway from electing socialist to conservative leadership, but unless the socialist policies change, the laws in place are still socialist. Government control of wages and/or prices are Socialist by definition. Also by definition, that cannot happen in a free market society. Our own Democrats here in the USA would love to be able to do some of the things that Socialist governments can do in Europe. The problem that we have is in keeping them under control so that we do not go the way of Greece. The current Democrats would give away the entire country if it bought them more votes.

Originally Posted by obamanation

Seriously though, Liechtenstein is one of the best offshore tax havens left on the planet. They need no natural resources, only a tax friendly environment with reasonable secrecy laws.

Does that mean that they are primarily bankers and the reason for their extraordinarily high GDP is due to deposits? In other words, they produce nothing, but have found a way to reap benefits from doing so.

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -- Benjamin Franklin

See what I mean about being able to interpret things in different ways.

That's a problem when you are interpreting things in a different ways from an unique perpective. I have for principal to stay away from political parties propaganda, you have a bigger picture to see the issues from any perpective.

I can't. I'm too busy working to pay my bills. The difference with the American system is that we are trained to work hard in order to get ahead. We are therefore left with little time to enjoy life. C'est la vie!

In the USA, we do get stuck on hamster wheels and cannot get off of them for most of our lives.

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -- Benjamin Franklin

A single wage earner with a family of five is eligible for $793 in Foodstamps per month and according to the USDA there are 47,727,052 people receiving food stamp benefits as of March 2013.

This doesn't make any sense to have working people on welfare. Part of the problem is illegal immigration and another part is inflation. 25 years ago the average full-time supermarket worker was paid between $12-$20 a hour. The rate was balanced out with part-time workers making between $4-$6. But 25 years back, the dollar was worth at least double.

This is an interesting story about a 36-year-old mother of seven that works as a produce picker in Fresno, California. She generally receives California's minimum wage of $8 and obtains food stamps for her 7 U.S.-citizen children. Her eldest sons, age 18 and 21, have high school diplomas but no jobs. Her oldest son has a 3-year-old son to support and eventually hopes to get a business degree and open a tattoo parlor and smoke shop.

Based on this article, the majority of agricultural workers are probably on welfare.

It would make more sense to eliminate food stamps for working people and increase the minimum wage to $12.